Agenda

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 2026 are attached and Members will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

Members will be asked to note the membership of the committee for 2026/27

as follows:

Councillor Manjit Kaur Saini - Chair

Councillor Sarah Russell – Vice-Chair

Councillor Deepak Bajaj

Councillor Ashiedu Joel

Councillor Lynn Moore

Councillor Hemant Rae Bhatia

Councillor Geeta Karavadra

Councillor Patrick Kitterick

Independent member – Seema Jaffer

Independent member – Mohammed Chunara  

Members will be asked to note the meeting dates of the committee for 2026/27

as follows:

Monday 13 July 2026

Wednesday 16 September 2026

Wednesday 18 November 2026

Monday 25 January 2027

Wednesday 10 March 2027

The Director of Finance submits the External Audit Plan and Risk Assessment 2025/26 report to the Governance and Audit Committee.

The Committee is asked to note the contents of the report and make any comments and to consider the Audit Pan 2025/26 at Appendix 1.

The Director of Finance submits the Draft Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement 2025/26 report to the Governance and Audit Committee.

The Committee is asked to consider the:

·         Draft Annual Statement of Accounts for 2025/26 at appendix 1.

·         Draft Annual Governance Statement 2025/26 at appendix 1.

The Director of Housing submits the Governance and Assurance Arrangements – Regulator of Social Housing Improvement Programme to the Governance and Audit Committee.

The Committee is recommended to:

1. Note the governance and assurance arrangements in place to oversee delivery of the RSH Performance Improvement Plan; and
2. Take assurance that appropriate frameworks are in place to monitor progress, manage risk and provide Member oversight.

The Director of Finance submits the Counter Fraud Annual Report 2025/26  (including Annual National Fraud Initiative 2025/26) to the Governance & Audit Committee.

The Committee is recommended to note the counter fraud activity completed during 2025/26.

The Head of Internal Audit submits the Head of Internal Audit Service Annual Report 2025/26 to the Governance and Audit Committee.

The Committee is recommended to:

2.1.1   Note the results of internal audit work undertaken, and the opinion of the Head of Internal Audit that Reasonable Assurance can be provided on the adequacy and effectiveness of the council’s framework of governance, risk management and internal control.

2.1.2   Note the outcome of Veritau’s quality assurance and improvement programme, including the confirmation that the internal audit service conforms to public sector internal auditing standards.

2.1.3   Note that no significant control weaknesses have been identified by internal audit during the year which are considered relevant to the preparation of the Annual Governance Statement.

The Director of Finance submits the Insurance Annual Report 2025/26 to the Governance and Audit Committee.

The Committee is recommended to note the contents of the report, and the Council’s approach to ensuring it is managing the financial risk associated with insurance claims.